Unexpected Importance
by sunburn preventing
Summary: Ho-oh has declared its wish to return. The Kimono Girls are now searching for the trainer with the purest heart to help them re-summon the Rainbow Bird. They get an intuition and decide to test the same girl Professor Oak chose to fill up the Johto Pokédex. Li Miao's adventure is becoming more than only catching Pokémon for the sake of research.
1. Prologue

_Kimono Dance Theater, Ecruteak City_

* * *

It was the dead of night. The doors of the Kimono Theater were locked shut and the lights throughout the building were dimmed except for on the stage, where they shone brightest. From the outside, anyone awake would have questioned if a late-night show were in session. But there was no music playing and there was no audience present. Every single seat was empty. The only people inside the theater were the performers themselves, the Kimono Girls.

The five girls were on stage practicing a sacred dance. No one except the participants themselves were allowed to witness it, not even Ecruteak City's Gym Leader who apparently foresaw _himself_ as the destined man.

The delicate swaying of arms and whimsical spins were reaching their end. Their final moves were taking place when suddenly, one of the girls dropped to her knees. The dance was interrupted before it could finish.

"Naoko!" The leader, Kuni, came running to her sister's side. Her Vaporeon stayed with the other resting Eeveelutions. The exception was Naoko's Espeon that got up and came running to its owner's side. Kuni gripped onto Naoko's shoulders, "What happened? Are you well?"

"I had it— the vision! It came to me!" Naoko wrapped her arms tightly around her precious Espeon. The vision was strong, as was the pain. From the faint shining of Espeon's forehead gem, the Pokémon could feel it too.

Two more sisters, Sayo and Miki, came over as well. Together they asked, "What was it of?"

"Was Morty in it? Is it really him?" The final sister, Zuki, questioned. All sisters formed a tight circle around Naoko. They were concerned about their sister's safety, yet immensely curious about her vision.

"Calm down everyone, let her breathe," Kuni chastised. She got up and made a motion to shoo everyone away. They followed her order and backed up. Kuni returned to her sister's side, "Naoko, take your time. We have been waiting a very long time for this, so we can wait a little longer. Tell us when you understand everything."

A few minutes passed. Everyone remained distant, yet extremely eager. Finally, Naoko began to explain, "Ho-oh wants to return. From what I saw, we found the destined one too. It was all of us at the top of Bell Tower."

"Could you see who the destined one was?"

Naoko shook her head, "That is what I am still trying to understand.. I saw a boy but it looked like there was someone else too— curly hair, a girl?"

"Two people? Is it possible to have two destined people?" Zuki jumped in. She was the youngest of the Kimono Girls and was still learning the legends and secrets the girls were affiliated with. She never understood why it was so hard to join the theater, let alone why only blood relatives could join, until they let her in. The dancing wasn't just for show. Their performances were daily rituals to please Ho-oh and receive it's blessing. The night shows were dedicated to Lugia. Everything they did had an important meaning and for some reason, the public wasn't allow to know the truth behind it.

Miki was now sitting on her legs with her Flareon laying comfortably on her lap, "The legend says only one person though,"

"But Ho-oh has only been summoned by Kimono Girls once," Sayo had always been the most open-minded and adventurous. Her trusty Jolteon was a sign of that. In her mind, anything was able to change in a split second and that included legends, "What if numbers changed per summon?"

The sisters were starting to contemplate possible circumstances. While they had strict practices to follow, there was plenty of room left open for analysis. For generations the Kimono Girls had been practicing two sacred dances for the re-summoning of the Legendary Tower Duo of Johto. The only piece the girls didn't have was the destined one— the trainer with the purest heart that Ho-oh only wished to return for. Why Ho-oh only wanted to be summoned when that specific trainer was present, was still a mystery to them. They weren't even going to question Lugia's requirements until Naoko got a vision from it.

"Let us just focus on these two people for the moment," Kuni didn't want to get off track. She was not only the leader, but most focused, "If there _are_ two people, what could be the reason behind it?"

The remaining sisters looked around at one another. They were puzzled but could see that in each other's eyes they were once again considering potential possibilities. No one gave an answer to their eldest sister though, because no one felt confident enough of their answer.

"We need to prepare the egg test for this Wednesday," Naoko was gently touching Espeon's gem now. The Pokémon and its trainer were in-sync, sharing information through their minds. Touching Espeon's gem wasn't really necessary but Naoko was young and still learning how to fully control her psychic powers. Touching her Pokémon gave her the most ease and ensured no miscommunication.

Kuni gasped, "This Wednesday? So soon?"

Naoko nodded and Sayo and Miki got up, immediately knowing what to do. Sayo went to the theater's only phone to contact an outsider, while Miki went to retrieve the egg. Jolteon and Flareon followed them respectively.

Zuki was the only one who had gotten up, but stopped realizing she had no idea what was going on. Umbreon was at her side, equally confused. Zuki went over to Kuni and quietly tugged the sleeve of her sister's kimono, "Kuni, what is the egg test?"

Kuni explained the egg test to Zuki. She explained how the egg carried a rare Pokémon that hatched when cared by only the most loving individual. In ancient times, people used to think the eggs were duds because they would never hatch, but in reality the egg never hatched because the carrier wasn't nurturing enough. The first time the egg had hatched was followed shortly by the first time the Kimono Girls had found the most pure-hearted trainer. That same trainer helped them summon Ho-oh. As legend says, that same trainer had _also_ hatched the egg. The egg test was to be given to once again find the most pure-hearted trainer, but finding a potential trainer to test was the hardest part.

From Naoko announcing to prepare the test for this Wednesday, Kuni could only assume Naoko and Espeon had figured out who their first potential candidate was going to be. The Kimono Girls had to depend on Naoko and Espeon's intuitions.

Zuki could tell Kuni wanted to help her sisters, so she asked one final question, "What if this trainer isn't the one?"

Kuni placed her hands on her youngest sister's shoulders and gave her a small, forfeiting smile, "Ho-oh has made us wait a long time, so we can only hope it can be a little patient with us too,"

The youngest sister understood and the two went to help the others.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** I recently picked up Pokémon Heartgold and felt myself_ living _in the story. It's hand down one, if not my, favorite Pokémon game! I haven't played anything past it though, so I have a lot to catch up on! Aside that, I rekindled my love for the Kimono Girls too and found myself writing again. I haven't written creatively in a long, long time. So I'm just doing this for fun!


	2. New Bark Town

_New Bark Town: Day 01_

* * *

The sun had just risen above the horizon and it was clear that they were awake before most. The grass held a blueish tone and the sky was a pale pink. A cool breeze came from the eastern Mt. Silver range and gave the small town a chilly, but serene atmosphere. While it would not take much to awaken a population that barely passed thirty, it was a shame that not more people could be enchanted by this sight.

About a month ago, two teenagers were requested to travel to New Bark Town on a particular long weekend. That same weekend had come into present time and the two were now heading to their meeting point: Professor Elm's Pokémon Laboratory. Of the duo, one was male and the other a female. Both were natives of Olivine City.

Even though they were both seventeen, neither had set out on a proper Pokémon Journey yet. They worked small jobs within their hometown— they were young entrepreneurs. The boy, Caelum, already had his own Gyarados though. He had his dream to become a Johto Champion, but similar to his female companion, Li Miao, he felt no pressure or time limit. They both just needed that _push_.

The two teenagers reached the Pokémon Laboratory. It was easily the biggest building in town. Caelum pulled open the glass door and stepped aside, letting Li Miao pass into the building first. He went in after her, letting the door close itself.

* * *

It had been five weeks after Ho-oh had deliver its message to Naoko. The Kimono Girls were once again searching for a candidate to test. Their first candidate had failed, but he did show great potential at first. They let him keep the egg in case they were wrong about him. It would also cause less trouble in case the trainer cared more about the egg than shown, and filed a report.

Espeon and Naoko had yet to gain a new intuition on who to test next. Thanks to close connections to Mr. Pokémon though, Sayo had gained intel about a boy Professor Elm was hiring as his intern. The information didn't seem important until Mr. Pokémon revealed that Professor Oak was hiring an intern himself. Professor Oak's intern was a girl, who just so happened to be assigned to travel with the same boy under Elm's employment.

It was a duo. A boy and girl just like Naoko had seen in her vision. There were no details on appearance yet, but the two kids were already sounding like the Kimono Girls' next best bet. The egg test was once again being prepared.

* * *

"I've heard of you before Li Miao," The Professor from Kanto had already introduced himself to everyone. He chose to meet in New Bark Town instead of his laboratory in Pallet Town because his newest project heavily involved Johto, "You used to travel to Kanto to catch Pokémon for people, correct?"

"Yes sir," Li Miao wasn't as formal as Caelum. She could be, but not 24/7. She honestly would have given more casual responses if she weren't talking to _the_ Professor Oak. Professor Oak was a wonderful man, but_ very_ picky. He had good reason though. The Pokédex was a revolutionary device. It was a super computer smarter than any human. It could identify Pokémon the creator itself, Professor Oak, couldn't even recognize. So it made sense he wouldn't just give it to anyone. The fact that the professor was even considering Li Miao as the Johto Pokédex-holder was satisfying enough to her.

Professor Oak continued to flip through papers on his clipboard. He was reviewing the information he had about Li Miao as if it were her resumé. Li Miao had no idea where he got the information from. It probably wasn't difficult though since she wasn't a private person. On the other side of the lab Caelum was discussing information with Professor Elm. She turned to look over at them for just a second.

"But it seems you never kept any of those Pokémon for yourself,"

Li Miao shot her attention back to Professor Oak. She quickly nodded her head, "Yes sir,"

Professor Oak gave her a puzzled look, baffled that with a Pokémon-catching job the girl didn't have her own Pokémon. The easiest way to ease his curiosity was to ask, "And why is that?"

"I worked in Kanto because of the Safari Zone that used to be in Fuchsia City," Li Miao admitted, "I never needed a Pokémon there."

It was the truth, Pokémon weren't required at the Safari Zone. But that didn't explain why Li Miao never caught any for herself. Maybe she had a high demand and was too busy? He was offering her a job as _his_ intern after all and he always wanted the best. Professor Oak took a seat in the stool in front of Li Miao, he felt guilty standing and looking down at her. He wasn't interrogating her, he was just trying to understand his future intern better. He already knew he wanted her, but she didn't. He took the situation as an advantage. He placed the clipboard facedown on the table between them, so Li Miao couldn't see the information on it. It was information about her anyway, so it wasn't like there were any secrets on it. It was just force of habit.

Professor Oak took a Pokéball out from under his lab coat. He passed it over the table to Li Miao, "So if it wasn't for this opportunity, where would you see yourself when it came to having your own Pokémon?"

Li Miao took the ball, a small frown forming but she kept it hidden. Li Miao didn't have any real aspirations. She was a nice girl that enjoyed traveling. She was flexible and able to adapt easily to new situations. Her parents were never strict on her and never forced her into anything. They believed when the time came, their daughter would discover what she wanted to do with her life. Her father actually worked under Professor Elm but was keeping himself out of sight in case Li Miao felt pressured by his presence.

As Professor Oak had pointed out, Li Miao used to travel to Fuchsia City's Safari Zone and got paid for catching Pokémon for trainers. These weren't the normal, ambitious trainers though. They were always lazy and apparently _too busy_ to take time off their schedule to catch their own companions. Sometimes, Li Miao even felt guilty when she had to give a newly caught Pokémon to a greedy man that only wanted it as a trophy pet. A trophy he didn't even earn _himself_. But Li Miao really enjoyed catching Pokémon and considered it a hobby.

When the Safari Zone had shut down though, so did Li Miao's tiny business. She returned to Olivine City and started helping new trainers learn about catching Pokémon. She always borrowed her mom's Glaceon instead of going out into the wild and catching her own. Glaceon could have fought against it, since Li Miao had no experience as a trainer, but it would have just stayed laying around the house otherwise. It stopped working when Li Miao's mom had retired. So it helped out its trainer's daughter because not only did it get some fresh air and exercise, but lots of attention from Li Miao's students.

Professor Oak could see Li Miao's frown now. He could tell she wanted to admit she had no goals, but she didn't want to ruin her chances. She still didn't know the professor had already approved her. He crossed his arms, "I really see a lot of potential in you, Li Miao," Li Miao looked up the professor and watched him let out a fake sigh. He was trying to frighten her, "But you_ really_ need a Pokémon for this job."

Li Miao eyes widened and she shot a look down at the device in her hand. She wasn't going to lose this opportunity, "Is this Pokéball empty?" She looked back up at Professor Oak, "I can go out and catch one right now if you want! Tell me which Pokémon to catch!"

She wanted the job, Professor Oak was glad. He was always afraid of giving out a Pokédex and it being wasted. The professor smiled, "That's not necessary. Professor Elm and I have already decided on giving you and Caelum one Pokémon to assist you on your journeys."

"Really?"

Professor Oak's smile grew, now he was getting excited. He loved starting trainers on their own adventures, "Follow me,"

Li Miao followed. Caelum and Professor Elm were already in front of the very machine Professor Oak and Li Miao were heading to. Caelum was analyzing something inside. When Li Miao got over he smiled and let her take a peek inside herself. It was three Pokéballs. Professor Elm repeated the same information he had told Caelum. There were three Pokémon the teenagers could chose from: the Fire-Type Cyndaquil, the Water-Type Totodile and the Grass-Type Chikorita. Professor Elm reached into the machine, pulled out the Pokéballs and released the Pokémon onto the floor of the Laboratory for all to see. Caelum and Li Miao both squatted down to get a closer look at the tiny animals.

Caelum, a gentleman as always, let Li Miao pick first. It was too late though as Li Miao was already attached to one of the Pokémon. The two were smiling at each other and playing. Chikorita had hopped onto Li Miao's lap and was tickling her with the large leaf atop of its head. They were laughing. All the men were shocked, Professor Oak especially. He made a mental note, confirming to himself that he knew there was _something_ more to Li Miao. He would be sure to add this information to his clipboard.

"Go ahead Caelum," Li Miao scooped up the Grass-Pokémon, "I want Chikorita."

Caelum had a difficult choice to make now. He already knew he didn't want Chikorita and crazy enough, it was the one Li Miao wanted. But now he was faced with a tough decision. It might have actually been easier if Li Miao had chose one of the two he wanted. When Cyndaquil let out a sneeze and set fire to a nearby stack of papers though, Caelum knew the Fire-Type was the one for him. _The power_.

After the two chose their Pokémon, it was settled. Li Miao received the Pokédex and was given a brief tutorial on how to use it. Three entries were already filled for her, it was the three Johto starters. Professor Elm updated both of the teenager's Pokégears and set the Professors' number on speed dial. Both professors established rules, the most important being to keep in contact with them. The professors also told the two to stay together. They would have told the teenagers to stay out of trouble too, but Li Miao's father was already covering that. Since his daughter was ready to go, he revealed himself from the station he was previously hiding at. He was proud of the two kids and promised to tell their mothers the good news for them. He also jokingly threatened Caelum to make sure Li Miao's protection was his top priority. He wasn't really joking though.

"Thank you again!" Li Miao announced. Caelum had already personally gone up and shook everyone's hand and thanked them individually. Li Miao's dad had kept his daughter to himself and kept reviewing the most obvious things with her: the dangers of tall grass, Pokémon Centers are for healing, etc. He was just being a father. So Li Miao gave one massive thanks to everyone since it was time to go.

"Remember to c-contact us at Cherrygove City, please!" Professor Elm wasn't used to yelling. Caelum and Li Miao nodded and left the Pokémon Laboratory with smiles on their faces. Their new Pokémon were following them closely behind. Caelum and Li Miao were setting off on their own adventures!

* * *

**Pokédex Entries:** 003/256

**Li Miao's Team:**

1. Unnamed, Chikorita

**Caelum's Team:**

1. Unnamed, Cyndaquil

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** A very long, long chapter! Thank you if you made it to the end! I just wanted to give Li Miao some background since she is an original character. I was going to do the same for Caelum, but the chapter was getting too long, so we will learn more about him later! Also, I updated very quickly this time, but I won't be promising anything in the future!

Also, thank you so much to **AquilaTempestas** for reviewing! You made me smile! For your pairings question though, I'm actually not sure yet! I have a lot of ideas, but I am not the best when it comes to developing romances, so I'm still considering whether to go for it or not! :)


	3. Route 29

_Route 29: Day 01_

* * *

Caelum and Li Miao had just begun their journey through Route 29. If the duo didn't stop walking, they estimated to reach Cherrygrove City in a solid three hours. It was thankfully a short distance, not for Caelum or Li Miao, but for the people of New Bark Town. Cherrygrove City was the closest access the residents of New Bark had to a Pokémon Center or, _especially_, a Pokémart. For emergencies, Professor Elm's Laboratory had a healing machine identical to that of the Pokémon Centers, but that machine rarely opened for the public.

"Didn't Professor Oak tell you how to use that thing?"

Li Miao had been distracted by her new Pokédex. Earlier, back in New Bark Town, a young boy and girl had ran up to her and Caelum to see their new Pokémon. The kids were beyond excited to see Chikorita and Cyndaquil outside the lab. From what Li Miao understood, they were just one year away from starting their own Pokémon journeys. Li Miao couldn't remember much more, but she _did_ remember that Ethan, the boy, already had his own Marill. Li Miao had seen the Aqua Mouse Pokémon before, but hadn't registered it in her Pokédex yet, so she tried to. The Pokédex only registered a picture of Marill but none of the actual data.

"Yeah, he did," Li Miao closed her Pokédex and tucked it into her purse. She knew staring at the device wasn't going to change anything, "It just sucks that I need to catch _every_, _single_ Pokémon to complete it."

Caelum smirked, "Why are you being so lazy? I thought catching Pokémon was your _specialty_."

"It _is_," Li Miao mocked Caelum's attitude, following it with a frown, "But I've never seen a Marill outside of the Safari Zone before and that place doesn't even exist anymore. What if I run into other trainers with Pokémon hard to find like Marill? It would just be really convenient if the Pokédex would recognize Pokémon I didn't catch."

"Then what's the point of your journey then?"

He had a point and Li Miao was defeated. He was right. She had no reason to complain in the first place, her new job was her hobby. She was no longer stuck on the loop of teaching young kids how to catch wild Pokémon. It was an easy job, but Li Miao never loved it. Her new job let her travel! And this time she wasn't just going to be running circles inside the Safari Zone, she was going to be traveling the entire Johto region with her very own Pokémon! Li Miao looked down at her Chikorita who was chasing Cyndaquil and tickling him. Li Miao had gotten assigned the same mission the Legendary Red had two years ago and she was already complaining about it! And on the first day too! The female wanted to kick herself, she felt like an idiot.

"Hey Caelum!" Li Miao realized she had stopped walking, but Caelum had continued on. There wasn't a great distance, but Li Miao needed to jog to catch up to him, "Hey, what did Professor Elm assign you to do?"

Professor Elm studied Pokémon Breeding and eggs, and asked Caelum to help him breed as many combinations of Pokémon possible. Apparently Caelum was even allowed to use the Pokémon Li Miao caught if she approved. The strange thing was Caelum didn't have to stay at the Laboratory, he was told to go travel Johto with Li Miao and build a strong team of Pokémon. Professor Elm wanted to study breeding between strong Pokémon to see how their strengths transferred to their infants. He said it had something to do with IVs. Li Miao had never heard of that term before. Caelum was told to pay close attention to the abilities of his Pokémon, as well as their gender (but that part was for mating purposes). Since Caelum was assigned to not only raise strong Pokémon but _also_ to travel with Li Miao, Caelum was taking full advantage. He was going to use his journey to challenge not only trainers, but specifically the gym leaders to gain eligibility to challenge the Johto League. Li Miao wasn't complaining, she thought it was smart. Caelum was hitting two Spearrows with one stone!

Li Miao was just glad she got an opportunity to travel with her best friend.

After Caelum finished explaining everything to Li Miao, he went back to his chanting. He was reviewing type advantages and disadvantages. Fire-Types were effective to Grass-Types, but weak to Water-Types. He even knew more complex combinations like how Electric had no effect to Ground, and even how Poison could be weakened by Bug!

Li Miao was extremely impressed. She listened to her friend continue matching types up, thinking she could use the information for herself when battling wild Pokémon. Li Miao was thankful for Caelum's knowledge. She knew that even if she listened intently, there was no way she could memorize all these things Caelum knew about Pokémon battles. The young female was already losing track on what Ghost-Types were effective against!

Caelum needed to know all these type advantages because of his old job. Like Li Miao, it also involved helping new trainers. He had worked the morning on weekends at Jasmine's Gym. He taught young kids all about Pokémon types and why it was important to know them. These kids were usually from families that couldn't afford, or refused, to send their kids to the Pokéschool in Violet City. So Jasmine's Gym offered a discounted price and split the funds between the teacher, Caelum, and materials for the makeshift school. Most of the money went to the school, but Caelum made a decent earning and thankfully he saved it all. He could use it now on his journey. Regardless of the cost or pay though, the kids were always intrigued by Caelum's lessons and that's all that mattered to him. He had to admit he was sad to leave.

"Who taught you all that? A book?" Li Miao was still listening to Caelum review. He was mentioning something about Flying-Types.

"No, my dad," Caelum calmly said, "He's an ace trainer, remember? He made sure I knew everything he did."

Li Miao didn't really remember Caelum's dad; his personality at least. She knew was he a powerful trainer and had battles broadcasted on TV multiple times, "That's so cool,"

Caelum shrugged, "I suppose,"

"Don't you think that's cool, Indonesia?"

Caelum shot a look of confusion at his friend, "_What_ did you call him?"

Li Miao just smiled, "Indonesia, that's his name now," Indonesia was one of the many countries named in Li Miao's favorite childhood book series. It was a series about Earth, their very planet, but if there were no Pokémon. It was aimed towards kids to teach them at an early age that Pokémon were important and not to be taken for granted. It was a crazy idea though— a world without Pokémon. People depended on them _too _much. The story was definitely creative though and Li Miao loved that; especially all the unique geographic name changes. Enchanted, Li Miao mentally decided to nickname all her future Pokémon after countries in that very book, "Why don't you give Cyndaquil a nickname? Like Chile, or Czech? Czech is short for Czech Republic!"

Caelum could almost feel his eye twitch. He wasn't interested at all. He saw no reason to give a _Pokémon_ a nickname. He knew Li Miao would get offended if he made that comment though, so he spat a lie, "I'm not that creative. Cyndaquil is fine."

* * *

There was only thirty minutes until Cherrygrove. Li Miao and Caelum had just passed a sign pointing in the direction of the city. There was a second one that pointed back to New Bark Town. The duo had no interest in heading back, they were already tired of the wooded areas. Li Miao was crossing her fingers Cherrygrove had some form of natural-water outlet she could swim in. Some water-outlet actually, she didn't want to push her luck.

"Li Miao,"

The female turned around, "What?"

"We're almost in Cherrygrove, lets have our first battle against each other before other trainer challenges me!" Caelum had a determined look in his eyes, "I want Cyndaquil to have more experience before we arrive!"

Caelum was eager to battle, he wasn't satisfied with only battling wild Pokémon. He had battled a lot of them too. On the other hand, Li Miao couldn't _stand_ how many wild Pokémon they had already come across during their trip. She made a huge mistake and failed to pack Pokéballs with her. Buying some was her main priority. But right now she was faced with her first challenge. She had no interest.

"I've never battled before though," Li Miao hoped the excuse would work. While she said it though, she already knew she wasn't escaping.

Caelum smirked, "It's okay, I'm not expecting you to beat me,"

That went straight to Li Miao's heart. She was offended, Caelum had never used such an attitude with her before. She glanced down at Indonesia who did not take the comment lightly. He was already walking in front of his trainer without command. Li Miao looked up at her opponent, "Don't be so rude,"

"Cyndaquil, Tackle!" Caelum had taken Li Miao's response as a signal to start the battle. Cyndaquil was the only one who wasn't involved in this verbal fight, but he was still very fast to react to his trainer's order. The Fire Mouse Pokémon starting sprinting towards Indonesia.

Li Miao responded, "Use Growl, Indonesia!" The Leaf Pokémon let out a cry just before getting hit. Thankfully, because Growl lowered Cyndaquil's attack, the tackle didn't hit as hard as it should've. Li Miao couldn't help but still feel worried, "Are you okay?"

"Chika!"

The response comforted Li Miao, "Good, now use Growl again!" Her Pokémon listened and let out another cry.

Caelum had commanded Cyndaquil to use another Tackle, so the Fire-Type Pokémon began running again.

Li Miao wasn't used to this tension. It was a completely different feeling from capturing a wild Pokémon. Her opposing Pokémon now felt like an extension, rather than a threatened mind. It didn't feel like a Pokémon battle, Li Miao felt like she was battling Caelum herself. She panicked, "Move out of the way, Indonesia!"

Indonesia responded and jumped to the side. Cyndaquil still hit him though, but the attack hurt even less than before.

"Cyndaquil, use Smokescreen," The Fire Mouse sprayed a thick, black smoke everywhere. It became difficult to see.

Li Miao wasn't sure what to do, but she didn't want to hear Caelum's voice before she made a move. She quickly exclaimed, "Use Razor Leaf!"

"Chika—ri!" Indonesia spun the massive leaf on top of its head and flung out sharp leaves. The leaves were quick enough to send some of the black smoke flying away. Li Miao or Indonesia couldn't see it, but they both heard Cyndaquil get hit. They also heard Caelum grunt something out in anger.

Li Miao suddenly saw a little flame shine through the smoke. She took the opportunity, "Indonesia, over there! Use Tackle!"

The Grass-Type Pokémon lunged at his target and managed to once again hit Cyndaquil. The black smoke was supposed to lower accuracy, but Li Miao and Indonesia were currently lucking out. Karma, Li Miao knew it. But when Indonesia attacked, Li Miao lost sight of him. She didn't like it either. She called for Indonesia to come into her view and he did, but Cyndaquil came following. His trainer called for a Tackle and Cyndaquil wasn't going to hold back.

"Quick, Indonesia, move out of the way again!" Indonesia jumped and successfully dodged this time. Li Miao smiled, "Now use Tackle!"

Cyndaquil's smokescreen was effecting Caelum. He was getting annoyed and trying to fan the smoke away, it was blocking his vision of the the battle. He was too distracted to tell Cyndaquil to dodge. The Fire Mouse Pokémon was slowing down from his missed attack, with his back to his opponent. With this mistake, it was too late. Indonesia landed the tackle! With so much force, Li Miao could tell her Pokémon hit an attack harder than his previous attacks. It was a critical hit. Li Miao had no idea where this luck was coming from, she became paranoid it would run out.

The hit had so much extra force it sent Cyndaquil to the ground, dizzy and unable to battle. Li Miao and Indonesia had won.

"We did it!" Li Miao celebrated and Indonesia came jumping up into his trainer's arms.

"Chika! Chika!" They wanted, _needed_ that victory after Caelum's remark and were so happy to get it! Karma had landed but Li Miao knew not to rub it in and jinx herself.

Smoke still lingered but most had vanished at this point. Regardless, Caelum could already hear Li Miao's happiness. He looked at his Cyndaquil in disgust, holding his Pokéball out to return the Fire-Type, "How could I lose?" He didn't like it.

Li Miao came over, Indonesia still in her arms, "Don't worry Caelum, you can heal Cyndaquil in Cherrygrove! If we hurry up we can get there before noon! All the trainers will probably gather in Cherrygrove at lunchtime anyway!" Caelum was so fed up, he ignored his partner's words. He was staring at the Pokéball in his hand. He had chosen the Fire-Type because of its strength, but where was it in that battle? Li Miao had repeated herself and this time poked Caelum in the shoulder.

Caelum clipped Cyndaquil's Pokéball onto his belt, "All right already. Lets jog the rest of the way then, Cyndaquil needs help."

Li Miao nodded and the two started jogging, Indonesia still in Li Miao's arms.

* * *

**Pokédex Entries: 003/256**

**Li Miao's Team:**

1. Indonesia, Chikorita

**Caelum's Team:**

2. Cyndaquil

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Woo! So we learn a little more about Caelum! I'm really aiming to give a lot of description about him and Li Miao in these first chapters since they're original characters. I was thankfully reading through **To Be a Master of the PokéUniverse** **by Scheherazade's Sonata** while writing this chapter and got a total wake-up call when it came to character personality. I was so caught up making sure the character's history made sense that I forgot to flesh out the character's perceptions and attitudes. So I hope Caelum and Li Miao felt more like individuals compared to last chapter. I also am openly admitting I am embarrassed I haven't described Caelum and Li Miao's appearance yet! Next chapter! I promise! I can't believe I have gone this far without a single trait revealed!

Anyway! I got a couple of reviews last chapter, so thank you! They really motivate me— criticism or praise! Critiques are highly welcomed to make sure I don't let my rusty creative writing skills kill this story! But thank you to **Sage of Emeralds **especially! You are right about the direction of the story, I am following the game, but I am planning on branching away at certain times for the sake of my plot! So hopefully that goes as plan! See everyone later! :)


	4. Cherrygrove City

_Cherrygrove City: Day 01_

* * *

Miki was the most traditional of her Kimono sisters. She enjoyed spending her nights in the candlelight and turning the pages of a book instead of clicking through virtual files. The only exception Miki made for herself was with the telephone. She found the communicating device revolutionary and even allowed herself to have a Pokégear.

Miki hung up from another call and looked down at her companion, whom was enjoying the sun's afternoon rays, "I'm glad you have energy today Flareon, but when we arrive to Cherrygrove City we must focus. Keep your ears sharp for the names Caelum and Li Miao, and your eyes open for a Chikorita and Cyndaquil."

Yesterday, Miki had gone to visit Mr. Pokémon to drop of the sacred egg. Since the Kimono Girl was so close by, she decided she would venture off to Cherrygrove City in hopes to see the latest targets. Miki was skeptical about having two summoners but as a result grew curious. Like Kuni, she wouldn't believe anything until the egg hatched. The eldest sister was even _more_ hung up on why there were two people in Naoko's vision to begin with though, so until permitted, no sister was allowed to directly communicate with either target. But that was fine with Miki, she was satisfied with visuals.

On her way down Route 30, Miki had called both Professor Elm and Professor Oak for descriptions of their interns. The Kimono Girl had never visited Cherrygrove City before, and was intimidated by the word: city. She wanted as many details as possible so her personal mission wouldn't be a failure. But being men, the professors' descriptions were poor and unhelpful. They lacked _life_— brown hair could mean anything, as could being tall. And neither men understood the Kimono Girl when she asked if Li Miao's green eyes looked more like swaying ocean grass or leaves of the mighty oak. Miki had only learnt which starters the interns had chosen.

* * *

An infused scent of flowers and ocean filled the city. Well, the large _town_. Cherrygrove wasn't really a city, but a large suburb filled with colliding breezes. The powerful scent had been confusing Li Miao for the past hour. One moment she could smell home, but then a mixture of petals and fresh air followed that Li Miao wasn't familiar with. This was definitely not Olivine City.

When Cyndaquil was being healed, Li Miao and Caelum had the time to secure a room at the Pokémon Center for the night. The room was small but had bunk beds, a window and its own personal bathroom— equipped with toilet, sink and shower. The duo were satisfied, knowing that regardless of the room's offerings neither trainer would be spending time there unless it was to wash up or sleep.

Li Miao and Caelum explored the town after Cyndaquil was allowed to leave. Li Miao was admiring the culture amongst her. Even though the city was by the sea, no one was tan like the people of Olivine. Everyone was pale and the little girls played with flowers instead of seashells. The weather was different here too, it was very humid. A warm, wet breeze came from the ocean and mixed with the same chilly air New Bark had. Li Miao could feel her curly hair expanding.

"It's different here," Li Miao noted, "But still very beautiful,"

Caelum wasn't being as observant. He was currently dealing with an internal conflict. He was angry and felt as if Cyndaquil's flames were heating up inside of him, but where was that heat in his first battle? Caelum couldn't let go of his loss. He had _never _loss with Gyarados. This was definitely not a good start to his legacy. He was not a failure, he was the next Johto Champion!

Caelum was sweating as a result of his pent up anger. He started alternating between pulling at the collar of his shirt and running his greasy fingers through his golden hair, as if it would cool him down. For a single moment, Caelum wondered why the hell he thought it would be a good idea to where a _fitted, dress shirt_ on an adventure. He tossed that thought aside, his anger having no patient for insignificant curiosity. He had lost a battle and nothing could change that. His defeat was because of his Pokémon though, not his opponent. Caelum refused to let his rage go public, even though he hid it poorly.

The male trainer had already convinced himself Cyndaquil was not as strong as he had first believed. The Fire Mouse Pokémon couldn't even beat a Pokémon it had a _type-advantage_ against! Caelum had misinterpreted that sneeze— Cyndaquil wasn't filled of uncontrollable flames, that was all merely a bluff. Caelum had made a poor decision, he _knew _should have picked Totodile! It was his mistake though, so he knew he had to fix it. He was going to train Cyndaquil just like he had with Gyarados! Caelum nodded, that was a great idea.

"What?"

Caelum looked up, he was freed from his conscious. Li Miao was holding a plastic bag filled with newly purchased Pokéballs. She and Indonesia both gave Caelum a confused look, to which he returned. Cyndaquil was once again outside the circle of exchanging looks, finding a nearby Fire-Type Pokémon more interesting.

Li Miao noticed how awful her friend looked, but she concluded it must be the humidity. Her hair probably looked like a Jumpluff's dandelion by now. She sighed, "What did you say, Caelum? You just mumbled something."

A third party's attention shot in at the sound of Caelum's name, but they remained eavesdropping. They continued helping a little girl craft a flower crown to blend in.

"Are you okay—"

"Yes," Caelum huffed, breaking eye contact. He looked over and noticed his Pokémon was once again distracted by something else, and didn't even bother to see with what. Caelum was going to make sure that through training Cyndaquil would become a strong and _focused _Pokémon. He retrieved Cyndaquil back into his Pokéball without warning, "I'm going to train. Maybe I'll get Gyarados too. I _can't stand_ depending on weak Pokémon." He stressed.

Li Miao frowned at Caelum's attitude, Indonesia wasn't pleased either. Li Miao tried to reason with her friend, "I don't think—"

"I'll be back tonight," Caelum interrupted again. He walked away without hesitation. Li Miao was used to her partner getting moody, but she knew Caelum rarely showed such a bad side. Something must have really been bothering him and Li Miao was too oblivious to notice earlier.

Li Miao sighed, knowing not to chase after Caelum, "He's not always like that, Indonesia. He's a real gentleman. He'll be better tonight."

The third party placed the flower crown atop the little girl's head, ignoring Li Miao's attempt to redeem Caelum. The Kimono Girl already knew an attitude like that couldn't hatch the egg, even on their best day.

* * *

"I found them," Miki blurted out. She didn't wait to hear which sister answered the phone. She had been waiting all afternoon to call her sisters but Flareon kept insisting following Li Miao around was more important, "But I have bad news,"

"What are you talking about? Where _are _you?" A voice responded. It was her twin sister, Sayo.

"Put Kuni on the phone, please," Miki loved her twin dearly, but not through the phone. She could hear her sister place the phone down and walk away. As Miki waited, she returned to watching Li Miao, who was currently introducing her Chikorita to the ocean. Flareon held great interest in the female trainer and Miki knew that was a good sign. The Flame Pokémon had a difficult time being impressed. Miki and Flareon didn't even bother following Caelum after he mentioned disliking weak Pokémon. There was no chance a pure-hearted trainer would _ever_ say something like that.

"Miki, how are you?" Kuni answered the phone with ease, "Sayo said you have bad news."

Miki explained how she found both targets quickly. She explained the conversation she eavesdropped in and made sure to assure Kuni neither target suspected a thing. But then she mentioned Caelum's unfavorable behavior, "Even if it _was possible_ to have two summoners, he's not the second person,"

"I see," Kuni took a moment to soak in all the information, but quickly responded with an order, "But you have nothing bad to say about the girl. I want you to call Mr. Pokémon after this, and tell him the egg is specifically for her. We will continue our focus on her for now. I also want you to return to Ecruteak City after this, I have information I refuse to share through the phone."

* * *

The sun had been down for a couple of hours already. Li Miao was back in the Pokémon Center, but Caelum hadn't returned yet. Li Miao was closed off in the bathroom, brushing her freshly-washed hair amongst all the steam. Although it was just Indonesia outside, Li Miao kept the bathroom door closed in case Caelum finally returned to their room. The female reached into her toiletries pouch and retrieved a small bottle with clear gel inside. It was to combat frizzing. No matter the situation, no matter what condition she was in, Li Miao at least wanted her curly hair to look good.

"Chikor!" Indonesia suddenly whacked the bathroom door to alert his trainer.

Li Miao jumped at the sudden attack, but thankfully her hair product didn't spill anywhere. She opened the door to look down at her Pokémon, but then heard the ringing. Someone was calling her Pokégear. Li Miao scurried out of the bathroom and answered the call. Thankfully, she ran out wearing pajamas, "Hello?"

"Hello? Oh, hello, good. I'm glad you answered your phone. This is Professor Elm."

The sound of the professor's voice suddenly reminded Li Miao that she and Caelum were supposed to call the professors when they first arrived to Cherrygrove. They had obliviously forgotten. Li Miao gasped, "Hi Professor Elm, I'm _so_ sorry Caelum and I forgot to call earlier!"

"It's fine, it's fine," The professor assured, "I actually have an order. It's for Caelum actually, but he is not answering his phone. Did he forget it? Did it break maybe? He should make sure it's not broken, especially since you two are in a city right now. You can find someone to go fix it if it's broken."

Li Miao grew a smile, remembering how this morning Caelum was mentioning the Professor's proneness to rambling. She shook her head as if the professor could see her, "No, I don't think it's broken. He's probably just busy training."

"Oh," Professor Elm replied, "This late? Well, could you please pass this information to him then? It's very—"

"Okay!"

Professor Elm took a deep breath. A large amount of information was coming, "There's a man on Route 30 by the name of Mr. Pokémon. He's older man, older than me. Maybe Oak's age? No, older than that. Anyway, he has discovered another egg that he wants me to research as always, but I told him that this time— this time my intern, Caelum, of course, would take it in my place. I want Caelum to have the egg and train it. Li Miao, you and Caelum need to make a stop at Mr. Pokémon's house tomorrow to pick up this egg. His house is on Route 30, close to Violet City. Make sure Caelum hears all of this. It will probably take you all day to get there, so be sure you are prepared too. And don't worry, Mr. Pokémon has room for both of you to stay the night. So just make sure you find Mr. Pokémon's house. He's waiting for you two."

The professor and Li Miao didn't talk much longer, but he did ask about Li Miao's Pokédex progress. Li Miao had to be honest and tell him she hadn't caught any Pokémon yet. After encouraging her to start tomorrow, Professor Elm ended the call. Indonesia was already sleeping on top of Li Miao's purse, using it as a makeshift bed, so Li Miao didn't bother the Leaf Pokémon anymore that night. Li Miao waited for Caelum until 21:00, but then she was too tired to stay up any longer. Today had been a long day and apparently tomorrow was going to be even longer.

Li Miao was confident Caelum would return later. He was a grown boy and she wasn't his mother. Li Miao was also too tired to make an effort and call him. It was fine though, Li Miao was sure Caelum would be there in the morning.

* * *

**Pokédex Entries: 003/256**

**Li Miao's Team:**

1. Indonesia, Chikorita

**Caelum's Team:** Unknown

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** HAPPY NEW YEAR! WOO! 2014, WOO! I hope you celebrated well~ This chapter was giving me major problems, but it's published so I was able to figure it out (for the most part)! On the bright side, our girls, the Kimono Girls are back! And we are getting closer to introducing two more characters~ I can't wait! I'd give hints, but it would probably be too obvious!

Thank you, as always, to **AquilaTempestas **and **Steph32297l** for reviewing! I appreciate it a lot! But oh my goodness, can we please give a shout out to Pokémon stories that are heavily based on battles? Those authors have my respect, writing battles is way tougher than it looks! I totally agree with you **AquilaTempestas**!


	5. Route 30

_Route 30: Day 2_

* * *

Caelum had never returned to Cherrygrove City's Pokémon Center.

Li Miao had given her partner until the following morning to return, but now it neared noon and there was still no contact from him. The heat was picking up as the morning ended. The sunlight was so strong that one could easily sunburn if they weren't too careful. Thankfully, trees lined the dirt path of Route 30, and their healthy canopies provided the route with cooling shade. As much as Indonesia loved absorbing the sunlight, he was more concerned on keeping his stressed trainer in the cooler areas so she wouldn't become a victim to overheating.

It was a hard job, but Indonesia kept the leaf on his head pressed against Li Miao's thigh so she could use the pressure as a crutch. The female was so consumed in her current dilemma, she hardly noticed how supportive Indonesia was being, let alone how hot it was. Sweat beads were rolling down Li Miao's temples and the underside of her voluminous curls were soaked, but the female was trying to decide what was the most appropriate thing to do in her current situation.

Should she contact the professors and explain to them how she had gotten separated from Caelum? If anything, Li Miao didn't want to get into any trouble. She didn't want their separation to be the death of her internship, but maybe she was just overreacting. She didn't want to tell the professors Caelum was lost though, because she knew that would only cause them to worry. And what if concerns only lead to search parties looking for a boy that simply decided to go camping last night? Li Miao _did_ dislike camping, maybe Caelum assumed she didn't want to join him.

But was it really okay to keep her mouth shut? That was the biggest issue. What if Caelum was really in a dilemma and was in desperate need of help? The worst possibilities started racing through Li Miao's mind and she instantaneously yanked out her Pokégear to make another call.

"Still nothing," She muttered in disappointment. She shut her Pokégear and chucked it back into her purse. Indonesia looked up at his trainer with sympathetic eyes, wishing she would stop worrying about Caelum. Li Miao caught his eye contact and sighed in remorse, she never expected a Pokémon to be so caring. Li Miao picked up her starter and give him a tight hug, "Sorry Indonesia, I'm just worried about him,"

Indonesia seemed to understand and gave his trainer's nose an affectionate tickle. The two shared a smile.

"That Pokémon was _so_ kick-ass! I hope Rattata evolves into something _awesome_ like that!"

Li Miao's attention snapped at the sudden statement. She turned around to notice a group of young boys rough-housing. They were shouting and causing ruckus in the soft grass. Li Miao and Indonesia had been so concentrated that neither of them had noticed they had passed the group of kids. There were six boys total, all carelessly swinging their arms and legs at each other. Their attacks were thankfully playful. They kept yelling over each other, as if whoever could scream the loudest while throwing the hardest punch would be the most superior. Eventually, one boy was clever enough to snatch the baseball cap of another and began a chase, ultimately running circles around Li Miao and her Pokémon.

"Excuse me,"

All it took was the voice of a young lady to stop the boys' commotion. Every single boy suddenly retrieved their fists and stared at Li Miao in confusion. Even the two kids running tight circles around the female stopped and looked up at her shockingly, as if they had just realized she was an actual, breathing person. Where had she come from? Apparently none of the boys had noticed her and Indonesia passing by either. Li Miao expressed a look of discomfort, as the boys' beady eyes were everything but welcoming. Soon, she realized they were merely waiting for her to say something. Li Miao immediately set Indonesia down and started digging frantically through her purse. Her bag wasn't too big, but it was notorious for replicating a black hole. Almost anything could fit in there and as a result, almost anything could get lost.

Li Miao was fortunate enough to find a picture of Caelum in her purse earlier, but now she wasn't too sure where it slipped to. She felt a growing uneasiness the longer it took her to search for the photo, as she could feel the boys' attention span running low.

"You want a battle, lady?" One boy wearing a blue baseball cap snapped. He thought Li Miao was digging for Pokéballs. He pointed at Indonesia, his other hand firm on his hip, "You sure you want to do that? That tiny bean won't stand a chance against _my_ Rattata!"

Indonesia was offended and jumped into a battle stance, ready for Li Miao to challenge the boy to a battle. Li Miao didn't hear a thing.

"Here it is!" She exclaimed, discovering the photo under a flashlight, "I was actually wondering if you could help me out. I'm looking for a friend of mine, this is what he looks like."

Li Miao held the photo out for the boys to take and examine. They quickly scurried over to see it. A boy in a red baseball cap snatched the photo away before his friends could, which resulted in all of them swarming around him. None seemed satisfied about looking over his shoulder though, and a new fight began to stir, with each boy attempting to yank the photo away from another. Li Miao did nothing to stop them, only hoping that one of the boys would recognize Caelum and tell her that he was all right.

It took minutes for the kids to settle down, but eventually they did. In their fuss they had retreated from Li Miao, as if the fight was actually an act to avoid being too close to her. The red capped boy ended up winning, his arms extended out so everyone else could see the picture. In the photo was a boy with groomed, golden hair and friendly, brown eyes. He looked tall, or maybe the Noctowl he stood next to was petite. All boys continued to analyze the picture, but none were giving answers. Li Miao had a decent patience level, but this time the lingering silence was eating her hope away. Indonesia once again used his tickle-method on his trainer's ankle to assure everything was going to be okay. Being ticklish, the method succeeded but Li Miao had to fight off the urge to giggle, so she wouldn't frighten the boys away.

One boy left the group and Li Miao gave him all her attention. Unlike the majority of the kids, he wasn't wearing a baseball cap. Instead, he fashioned a fluffy plop of black hair on his head. He was rubbing the bottom of his chin and made his way to stand directly in front of Li Miao, "Does that guy have a huge Pokémon? Like a blue flying snake?" He swung his arms wide apart to mimic the Pokémon's size.

Li Miao's face lit up, instantly recognizing the description, "Yeah! Like a Gyarados, right?"

"_GYARADOS!_" The group of boys jumped apart from their tight group and started running around. They were excited to hear the Pokémon's name and began to tackle one another again. Indonesia dug himself between Li Miao's legs in fear of getting hit. It was one thing to get attacked by a Pokémon, another by a rambunctious ten year old. Li Miao was pleased to hear the pleasant exclamations about the giant, Atrocious Pokémon but she still had more questions. And she also wanted her photo back.

"Hey boys," She shouted, cupping her hands around her mouth in attempts to amplify her voice, "Do you know where my friend went?"

All the kids except one ignored her. They didn't have the photo in their possession, nor the knowledge of where Caelum was, so they no longer cared. The one boy that did hold the photo, returned it to Li Miao as quickly as he could. While he dressed similarly to the other boys, he was definitely the pudgiest. His round, rosy cheeks were a dominant feature on his face, and had easily become Indonesia's next tickle target. If the Pokémon wanted anything in the world right now, it was to give those facials features some attention.

"He kept headin' north! He went to challenge da Gym Leader yesterday! I bet he won by now!" The boy announced, unaware of the Leaf Pokémon currently inching towards him.

While Li Miao wanted to ask more questions, she broke off her interest the moment she saw a giant, green leaf extending its reach towards the boy's face. The female scooped up Indonesia immediately, but kept her eye contact with the boy, "And where's that?" Li Miao forced a smile, pretending to be oblivious to Indonesia's actions.

"Chikor!" The Grass-Type Pokémon yelped. He knew Li Miao was playing dumb, but did nothing to rebel.

The rosy-cheeks boy pointed north, "In Violet City, o'course!" He seemed genuinely oblivious, being more perplexed by Li Miao's lack of knowledge. He didn't wonder long though, as he soon returned to his friends.

There was no more opportunities for questions now, but at least Li Miao knew Caelum had no problems returning to Cherrygrove City. Instead, he had just decided to keep traveling north without her. That last bit frustrated Li Miao, but she refused to get upset until she knew why he left her, or why he couldn't at least _tell_ her he was planning on leaving her. Li Miao remembered Caelum being angry yesterday, but she thought some personal time would have cooled him off. Maybe he had just gotten too excited about challenging the first gym leader? Maybe, but that didn't explain the lack of communication.

As Li Miao and Indonesia pressed on through Route 30, she quickly realized that regardless of Caelum's location, she would end up needing to pick up the egg for him. If she couldn't get in contact with Caelum, Professor Elm surely couldn't. The female panicked, but decided to formulate an excuse for Caelum if Mr. Pokémon asked. Indonesia, angry at his trainer, refused to lend a leaf. He just wanted those rosy cheeks.

* * *

The Kimono Dance Theater was quieter than usual. Kuni had requested no visitors today, so the large entrance doors remained closed. The theater was designed to give off a dark atmosphere, so Sayo had opened up the windows in an effort to lighten up the place. Her attempt hardly succeeded, but at least it was better than being suffocated by dim candlelight.

Miki had been able to return to the Kimono Theater late last night. The eldest sister wanted her to share her Cherrygrove City observations before retreating to the comfort of her bed though, but Miki held no energy. She had done her best, but Kuni decided it was better to push off the details until Miki had fully recovered. The eldest sister couldn't help but continuously dwell on the facts she already knew though, and was pacing back and forth on the stage. Her sisters could easily notice that her thoughts were stirring, and decided it would be best to wait until she spoke for herself.

So until then, the remaining sisters lazily existed within the theater. After Sayo had opened the windows, she had gone to feed all the Eeveelutions. She even sneaked a bowl of Pokéfood into Miki's room in case Flareon woke up hungry. Zuki was sitting in the audience seats with Naoko, allowing her sister to practice her psychic powers on her. Zuki was told to reminisce on a happy memory, so she thought of the midnight stroll she had in the past, when her Eevee evolved into an Umbreon. Naoko did her best to access her sister's thoughts, but was failing miserably.

The silence amongst the theater was abruptly killed when the large, entrance doors were slammed open. As sunlight poured into the theater, the silhouette of a caped man appeared at the entrance, his cape dancing elegantly behind him. The man welcomed himself in and walked down the aisle on one side of the theater, stopping directly in front of the stage. He wore a purple suit proudly, along with gelled-back, wheat-colored hair and an infamous red bow tie.

Kuni instantly frowned, angering boiling within her. She knew exactly who this man was and she was quite surprised he was brave enough to come in alone. Her younger sisters knew better than to interfere, and all three of them shared widened eyes, shocked that this flashy man could be so confident in his actions.

"Leave at once, Eusine," Kuni warned, "Today, we welcome _no one_,"

"No my fair lady," Eusine replied flatly as he crossed his arms, "I am here for answers, and I will not leave until I receive them."

Kuni had to admit she was startled by how courageous Eusine was being. Usually he shuddered at Kuni's orders and listened to her out of fear. But today, Kuni glared down at a man who refused to break down. Sayo, Naoko and Zuki were all frightened by Eusine's defiance. Sayo disappeared behind the stage curtains to return to the Eeveelutions. Kuni was a woman of her word and was always sure to make her demands clear. She was probably one, if not _the_, most intimidating leader in all Kimono Girl history. If Eusine kept this up, who knew how Kuni would react. While Sayo hid, Naoko and Zuki could only cower in the audience.

Kuni clenched her teeth together, refusing to lash out too quickly. While she fought with fear tactics, she was still a Kimono Girl that needed to show class. But taking 'no' was never an option for her, _specifically_ from Eusine, or his best friend Morty for that matter. Kuni pointed a sole finger to the closest window facing the Ecruteak City Gym, "Regardless of whether you are here as Morty's messenger, I will not permit you any access to private information. Now return to Morty's side and be a nuisance elsewhere."

Eusine couldn't help but smirk, he raised his arms out proudly, "I can assure you I am not here for Morty, Miss Kuni," If he would continue to defy the woman, he might as well be polite. Eusine hoisted himself onto the stage to stand in front of the Kimono Girl Leader herself, ignoring the fact that she despised anyone but her sisters walking on the stage. It took a vicious bite of the bottom lip to give Kuni a single chance to hear Eusine's explanation. Eusine quickly took the opportunity as if his life depended on it, "I am actually here because of Suicune, my lady."

Kuni raised an eyebrow, but kept her mouth closed. She showed enough interest to allow Eusine to continue speaking, but made sure to let him know he was not getting away with his rebellious actions.

"Suicune has been acting up recently. Its patterns have changed tremendously over the past month. It is no longer spending its time purifying water, but instead focusing on the most _obscure_ of things. About three weeks ago actually—" Eusine paused and took a deep breathe, giving Kuni a hard look to make sure she paid attention, "I followed Suicune to _Olivine City_. I found the magnificent, oh-so _glorious_ Pokémon staring off at something in the city, so I decided to figure out what it was. When I finally figured it out, I doubted myself. I didn't understand."

"What was it?" Kuni spat, a sense of urgency in her voice.

Eusine raised an eyebrow himself now, noticing that he had won the Kimono Girl's attention. He paused for the sake of dramatic effect, "A _girl_,"

"_What?!_" Zuki blurted out accidentally, Naoko immediately threw her hands over her sister's mouth to shut her up. Kuni internally groaned at her youngest sister's inability to keep quiet, but she made sure to act as if she heard nothing. Eusine definitely didn't buy the act and turned over to Zuki, jumping off the stage and heading in her direction.

"My lady, Miss Zuki is it?" Eusine called, shortening his distance between himself and the girl with long but careful strides, "Is Suicune sensing something I don't see? Does it, _if I allowed to ask_, have something to do with Ho-oh?"

While the Kimono Girls were sworn to keep their knowledge a secret, not all legends were hidden. Some had found their way into the public. The legends were history after all, so not everything could be kept away forever. The story of Ho-oh requiring a person to return was one of the few public stories, but the process of _how_ that person was chosen was only known to the Kimono Girls. Eusine, who had made his way to the same aisle Zuki and Naoko huddled together in, was _very_ familiar with the origin of the Beast Trio. He was actually quite fond of one of the beasts, Suicune, and made it his duty to follow the Aurora Pokémon until it accepted him.

Kuni could sense Zuki and Naoko's uneasiness, caused by the older man approaching them. The two girls did their best to escape from Eusine, but their shoes weren't very appropriate for running around the theater. Eusine knew too much information and Kuni was well aware of that. She decided it was no use keeping knowledge away from Eusine, since he might still be hiding some details. Kuni sighed deeply, realizing the only way Eusine would stop harassing her sisters was to do what he asked, "Stop, Eusine. Return to the stage. I will tell you what you desire to know."

Eusine stopped chasing the young Kimono Sisters and smiled. He was all too happy. He rushed back onto the stage, giddy with excitement. For once, he had won!

And Kuni couldn't believe she had lost, "The girl you saw, what does she look like?"

Eusine explained and described a girl almost identical to how Miki described Li Miao. The only difference was the missing presence of a tiny Chikorita.

"And you say Suicune was staring at her?"

Eusine nodded, "As if he was determined to approach her,"

Sayo had returned to the stage. She was peeking out from behind the curtain, too afraid to reveal herself entirely. Kuni looked distressed, and Sayo wondered what she missed. Naoko and Zuki were holding onto each other, wishing their Pokémon had been there to protect them, but at least they had each other. All three sisters gasped at Kuni's following movements. The eldest sister closed the space between her and Eusine, the only thing keeping their noses from touching was their height differences.

Kuni pressed a finger firm against Eusine's chest, "I promise you that if Morty repeats any of this information, I will be sure to put an end to your Suicune chase," She threatened, pulling her finger away.

Eusine was done being defiant. He knew if he wanted to live, he would listen to Kuni now, and probably for the rest of his life. Kuni was the most beautiful woman Eusine had ever seen, but possibly the most deadliest. He knew coming to the theater was dangerous territory, and it was honestly a miracle he had succeeded. It was only because he had information to bring to the table though. He nodded his head, "Morty will never know a thing,"

"That girl you saw," Kuni started, "Might be able to bring Ho-oh back,"

* * *

An old man with a heart-warming smile opened the front door to a small, but cozy wooden cottage. He practically jumped with joy when he saw the presence of a curly-haired female at his doorstep, "You must be Li Miao! What a pleasant surprise! Come in, come in! I am Mr. Pokémon, welcome to my home!" He stepped aside to let the young lady enter.

"Hi," Li Miao answered with a polite smile, "Thank you," She passed through the door, pleased to have finally arrived into the warmth of a home. It was already nighttime outside, and Li Miao had quickly discovered that she didn't enjoy traveling in the dark. Mr. Pokémon passed the female and lead her to a desk in the middle of the main room. He pulled out a chair for Li Miao to sit down in and offered her a drink. Li Miao took the chair, requested a glass of wat—

"—_Professor Oak?!_"

The famous Professor of the Kanto region smiled as if he was expecting the very reaction, "Hello, Li Miao,"

"What are you doing here, sir?" Li Miao asked hesitantly. She was haunted by the pressure of wondering if Professor Oak was going to ask about Caelum. She really hoped he didn't. Li Miao did her best to hide her fear by smiling the most convincing smile she could, which was a pretty awful smile.

"Well, you never called me in Cherrygrove City," Professor Oak confessed, "So I decided to pay a visit here. May I see your Pokédex?"

Li Miao nodded nervously and dug through her bag, pulling out the digital encyclopedia as quickly as possible. She passed it to Professor Oak, but kept her eyes on the device, wishing to avoid eye contact. She watched the professor's hands flip the Pokédex open, while sliding out the provided stylus to click through the entries. From the slow movements, Li Miao could tell Professor Oak was looking through each entry individually. He was interested in reading what each entry had to say. In an attempt to calm herself, Li Miao reached down to pet Indonesia but quickly realized he was no where near her. The Leaf Pokémon had ditched her to watch Mr. Pokémon search for something in a nearby cupboard.

"A Pidgey, Rattata, Caterpie and Metapod, huh? But it seems you have missed some opportunities." Professor Oak teased, referring to a picture of Sentret and Marill that had no information attached.

Li Miao quickly admitted to forgetting to pack Pokéballs before she left New Bark Town, "I'm sorry,"

"It's fine, but I have to ask, are you planning on keeping any of these Pokémon?"

The female hadn't even considered it, "Maybe the Caterpie? I honestly didn't even think about that."

"Li Miao," Professor Oak announced, closing the Pokédex and handing it back to his intern. He made sure his eyes grabbed hers to assure the female there was no reason to worry, "Like I've said before, you have great potential. Your bond with your Chikorita is already strong and it's only been two days. I highly suggest, _no_. As your employer, I _want_ you to form a strong team of six Pokémon. As you continue catching Pokémon in Johto they will continue to grow stronger and I want you to be prepared for them."

Li Miao nodded her head quickly, "Yes sir,"

"Well how about this egg as your next team member?" Mr. Pokémon barged into the conversation with a chipper smile, an egg in his hands to top it off. It was a lot bigger than Li Miao expected it to be. She actually wasn't sure if it would fit inside her bag with everything else in it. Mr. Pokémon plopped the egg straight into Li Miao's arms, who took it due to force. She was just as shocked by the egg's weight as with its size. Mr. Pokémon appeared satisfied, "Isn't it beautiful?"

The female was speechless for a moment, mesmerized by the egg. It was a pearly white with unique red and blue markings on it. Li Miao didn't recognize the pattern and wondered what it could be inside. She had an urge to keep the egg for herself, but she knew it wasn't the right thing to do, "It's really beautiful, I'll make sure to pass it to Caelum as soon as possible,"

"Oh, no, no, _no_," Mr. Pokémon shook his head, a smile remaining on his face, "That egg is for _you_,"

Li Miao looked at the older man in disbelief. She even gave a confused look to Professor Oak, explaining the conversation she had with Professor Elm.

"But Professor Elm _also_ told Caelum to travel the Johto region with you," Professor Oak reminded, "And it seems he has already abandoned you and left to Violet City, no?"

"Oh my Arceus, you _saw_ him? Is he all right?"

Mr. Pokémon and Professor Oak exchanged a baffled look. They asked Li Miao to explain why she was so worried about where Caelum was. She admitted everything. She apologized for not informing the professors sooner, but she was afraid that there might have been a misunderstanding. She honestly couldn't muster any excuse as to how Caelum could have forgotten his best friend though, but Li Miao didn't want to accuse him of anything until she heard the truth.

"What a shame," Mr. Pokémon shook his head in disappointment, "How could he leave behind such a beautiful young lady?"

Li Miao was unsure how to accept the compliment, so she remained silent.

"Li Miao, we aren't sure what Caelum is up to, but we _do _know he no longer deserves the egg. Mr. Pokémon has changed his mind and decided you are a better fit, so please accept his offer." Professor Oak explained.

"Um, okay," Li Miao looked down at the egg in her lap. Indonesia had now returned to his trainer's side, looking up at the egg in awe.

Professor Oak got up, moving his wrists in an attempt to crack his joints, "Well I must go now. Take good care of that egg Li Miao, and _make sure_ to call me once you arrive to Violet City."

"Li Miao, I am sorry but will you please excuse me as I escort Professor Oak out?" Mr. Pokémon asked politely, he pointed towards the staircase, "You can head upstairs if you'd like. The guest room is the first door on the left, and the bathroom is across the hallway on the right. Please make yourself at home."

"Thank you," Li Miao replied, watching the two older men head towards the front door. Indonesia and his trainer didn't wait to head upstairs, knowing the older men wanted their privacy.

* * *

Li Miao had just made it to the guest bed when she realized she had no idea how she was going to take care of an egg. It couldn't be too hard though, right? The female sat criss-crossed on her bed, placing the egg on her lap. Indonesia sat opposite of his trainer, looking at the object curiously. There were still a lot of things the Leaf Pokémon didn't understand. Indonesia did what he knew best and started to tickle the egg with his leaf.

"Do you think they can feel it?" Li Miao teased, playing along. She joined Indonesia and started stroking the egg. She honestly didn't know if it was helping, but it was worth a shot.

Outside stood Mr. Pokémon and Professor Oak. They both conversed quietly under the front porch light, hands dug deep into their pockets with stern expressions on their face. Hoothoot were cooing their nightly calls, but the older men were more concentrated in their personal business.

"I'll contact the Kimono Girls tomorrow morning, after Li Miao leaves," Mr. Pokémon announced.

Professor Oak nodded, "I see,"

Mr. Pokémon smiled, "You should be more proud of yourself, you might have just picked yourself the destined one,"

The professor returned the smile, having to admit he did feel a bit accomplished. He was definitely pleased to hear Li Miao had become a candidate. Professor Oak looked up into the night sky, envisioning the height of the Bell Tower and Ho-oh perched on top. If it was his intern, there were some doubts, but it was possible.

A moment of silence passed as Professor Oak lived on within his imagination.

"Do you think she will hatch the egg?"

The professor returned to reality, his smile fading. He nodded once more, a determined look in his eyes, "Yes, she should have no problem hatching the egg. But I hope this adventure will make her a stronger person, she's just too delicate."

* * *

**Pokédex Entries: 007/256**

**Li Miao's Team:**

1. Indonesia, Chikorita

2. Unidentified Egg

**Caelum's Team:** Unknown

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** So Caelum mysteriously abandons Li Miao, Eusine is introduced into the story and Li Miao receives the super important egg! It also seems that Professor Oak and Mr. Pokémon know more than meets the eye! Anyone else excited by Eusine though? I'm planning on incorporating him more into the story unlike they did with the games. I still get so frustrated that he would disappear after you caught Suicune. They should have at least let him stay moping around in the Burnt Tower. So sad, so sad. Anyway, next chapter Li Miao will arrive to Violet City and meet someone special! Who could it be?

Also thank you so **AquilaTempestas** and **Steph3229l** for reviewing last chapter! **AquilaTempestas** did a wonderful thing and recommended my story in her own a couple of days ago. I would love to do the same thing for her, so please check out her story **Divine Destiny** when you get the chance. It's a HeartGold/SoulSilver game verse story with awesome writing skill and chapter development! :)


	6. Sprout Tower

_Sprout Tower: Day 3_

* * *

Violet City was barely an hour walk from Mr. Pokémon's cottage, so Route 31 had been a relaxing morning stroll for Li Miao and Indonesia. While they hadn't caught any new Pokémon on the route, the duo had plenty to discover in Violet City. Fascinated by culture, Li Miao had hit jackpot. Violet City was the acclaimed "City of Nostalgic Scents," in the Johto Region, and it definitely held its name proud. The city was beautifully built around historical architecture. While the buildings were sparse and separated, each had countless details and traditional charm. Even the trees that tightly wrapped the city contributed to the soothing atmosphere, as well as the city's gorgeous, dark gray cobble roads. Violet City, while some considered to be a village, held a much grander presence that Cherrygrove City had lacked in.

It took all her concentration for Li Miao to avoid getting distracted. She decided to make a deal with herself to finish the important tasks first, before rewarding herself with a break of exploration. A single-bed needed to be secured at the Pokémon Center for the night, her Pokéball supply needed to be replenished and she _definitely_ needed to remember to call Professor Oak this time. Li Miao had been too overwhelmed from receiving the egg last night, that she completely forgot to give her employer the Pokémon she had caught on Route 30. She decided she didn't want any of the Pokémon on her team, not even the contemplated Caterpie. She did agree to keep the egg though, both curious of what it would hatch into as well as being persistently persuaded by Mr. Pokémon, late last night, to care for the egg with _all_ of her heart. _All_ of it.

So, as of now Li Miao traveled with Indonesia the tickle-bean Chikorita, and a unique egg that the capturer herself hugged securely in her arms.

* * *

Zuki and her Umbreon took every step with a trained grace, and they had done so since leaving Ecruteak City. Eusine followed closely behind the youngest Kimono Girl, making sure she remained under the shade of her parasol. The Mystic Man had been given the duty of escorting young Zuki to Violet City, which apparently included balancing a dainty sun-umbrella over her. Zuki sunburnt easily though, and Eusine couldn't afford to return to the Kimono Theater with a burnt sister. He was already treading on hot water with Kuni. His arm was desperately longing for a break though, and twisting cramps was its choice of communication. Eusine continuously ran through his head that the pain was worth it, because he had finally made his way into the inner circle.

It was a shame he couldn't tell Morty though, but benefits had their own downfalls. Anyway, if Morty _was_ the true destined one, he too would soon gain access to the Kimono Girls' private information. But according to Kuni, Morty wasn't the one. It was speculated to be the same girl that Suicune had gained interest in at Olivine City. While Eusine was supportive of his best friend being the man of destiny, he had become skeptical as the _magnificent_ Aurora Pokémon had never identified with the Ghost-Type specialist. And of course, Eusine always chose Suicune. Kuni and Eusine had also come to the conclusion that Suicune sought out the Olivine-native for its master, Ho-oh. While it wasn't confirmed, it was very convincing. So as a result, Eusine accepted the escorting task out of interest (besides being intimidated into it by Kuni, of course).

"How do you know she'll be here?" Eusine questioned, keeping his eyes open for the girl of question. He and Zuki were headed towards the heart of Violet City, which held the clearest view of Sprout Tower.

Zuki kept her eyes ahead, but let out a mischievous giggle, "Mr. Pokémon _obviously _told us!" She had stated it as if Eusine should have known. Thankfully, she had gotten much more comfortable around him during their journey through Route 36. She had learnt the man could actually be quite the gentlemen when he wasn't trying to harass young girls. He was even nice enough to keep Zuki's 'improper' behavior a secret from Kuni, so Zuki treated him well and allowed him to be exposed to her more natural self. Umbreon's ears perked up to the sound of his trainer's happiness.

So Mr. Pokémon was involved in this too, huh? Eusine wondered how many people were in this secret circle. So far it was him, the old man and the ladies of the Kimono Theater, themselves. There were bound to be more, but that was one of the many questions Kuni didn't give an answer to.

Zuki clearly wasn't her eldest sister though, she was actually the polar opposite. Eusine wondered how much the young girl would spill. It was worth a shot, "Does the target know that she could be the destined one?"

"No way!" Zuki snapped, twirling around to face the older man, "She won't know _unless_ she hatches the egg!"

So an egg had something to do with the destined one? Had Morty ever received an egg? Eusine couldn't remember him ever caring for one. He decided to keep throwing out questions, to try to put the pieces together without being too direct of his initiative. He asked why the egg was so important, and what it had to do with Ho-oh. Zuki kept spilling out responses as if Eusine should have already known all of the answers. Kuni never told him any of these details though, and Eusine started to wonder if being in this inner circle was merely a bluff. If it was, Zuki wasn't aware of it.

Eusine opened his mouth to form another question, but let it hang agape as his eyes met with a familiar set of curls. It was _her_. The same petite body frame and sun kissed skin. The wild Tangrowth, brunette curls that grew golden as another victim of the sun's affection. While Eusine had been too far away to identify the color of her eyes, it _had _to be her. If it wasn't for the genetics, the clothes gave it away. A simple white camisole and magenta harem pants were a dead giveaway that not only was she accustomed to warmer climates, but a native to Olivine City.

The Mystic Man called Zuki over, but she had gotten distracted by an apart TV celebrity named Primo. Eusine couldn't bare to take his eyes off the target, so he reached out and gave the Kimono Girl's shoulder a squeeze. She registered the action and turned her head to see what caught Eusine's attention, spotting the very girl instantly. While she connected similar attributes to Miki's description, it was the egg that confirmed she was the one. Zuki smiled, throwing a friendly wave out for the girl to notice, "Yoohoo—!"

Eusine grabbed Zuki's forearm and gave her a tug, throwing themselves behind a group of lasses heading towards the Pokémon Academy. He made sure the target couldn't see either of them, before snapping at Zuki, "What are you _doing_? I thought we were here to clarify Suicune identified the same girl you're tracking!"

Zuki couldn't help but laugh, "You only have ears for Suicune. Kuni said we're allowed to talk to Li Miao now. I came here to check on the egg!" She removed herself from Eusine's grasp and patted where her kimono had gotten ruffled. Without hesitation, she then grabbed Eusine's blazer cuff and dragged him along behind her. Umbreon stayed behind the two, leaping from shadow to shadow to avoid getting directly hit by the sunlight.

* * *

"We're done!" Li Miao rejoiced, "We can explore Violet City now, Indonesia!"

A bed was reserved, a call to Professor Oak had been made and Li Miao's purse was stuffed with gleamingly new Pokéballs. Done with errands, the capturer could spend the rest of her morning learning about the city's culture. There were native dishes that needed to be tasted, history that needed to be learnt and architecture that needed to be examined closely before noon; when it would become time to catch new Pokémon again. Li Miao was so excited with how much time she had leftover, she completely forgot about searching for Caelum!

Indonesia didn't understand his trainer. The food, yes. Everything else, not so much, _especially_ with the buildings. When he and his trainer had first arrived to Violet City, Li Miao was enchanted by a tall thing 'that rose above the rest.' Apparently, it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. It took minutes for Indonesia to realize his trainer was gushing out about a tower. He didn't see what was so special about it, as it was just a thing humans made. For the sake of his trainer though, he tried to understand. In the end, he still found Cherrygrove City's beach much more interesting.

Li Miao took out a map that she had taken from the Pokémon Center. It was specialized for Violet City and free for visitors. While it was a difficult task to juggle the flimsy map and Pokémon egg, Li Miao managed. She dug her nose into the map as best she could and started analyzing the city's points of interest, "Hm, so people actually live there. I guess the only place we can really check out is Sprout Tower."

"Oo, how convenient! You want to take the Sprout Tower challenge?"

Li Miao looked up from her map and noticed a young girl, close to her age, dancing towards her. A man in a purple-suit stood behind, holding out an opened parasol. The capturer hardly registered what the Kimono Girl had said, being too distracted by her traditional clothing. They was _gorgeous_, and Li Miao was wondering where she could get one herself.

The Kimono Girl got distracted too, noticing the egg and how it was already looking a bit different, "Wow— can I see that egg?"

"Oh," Li Miao moved her eyes up to meet the Kimono Girl's, she was quite surprised by the request. She hesitated, but eventually handed the egg over. She seemed friendly enough, "Be careful with it, please."

The Kimono Girl took the egg just as Li Miao had asked. She held it cautiously in the palms of her hands and looked at it from all angles. Li Miao and the Mystic Man both watched her movements, intrigued at what she was looking for. The Kimono Girl looked up at Li Miao and smiled, "This is _amazing_,"

"What's amazing? What do you see?" The Mystic Man asked, jumping closer to the girls. He looked down at the egg, trying to find what was so 'amazing' about it. Was it the red and blue marks? Did it look like it was about to hatch? While it was smaller than other Pokémon eggs, he couldn't spot anything unusual about it.

The Kimono Girl shook her head with a smile, signaling to the man that this was something she couldn't say right now, at least not in front of Li Miao, "So, before, you said you wanted go to Sprout Tower, right?"

"Yeah," The capturer answered frankly, holding her hands out to receive the egg back.

"Perfect!" The Kimono Girl exclaimed, "We'll go with you!"

* * *

Li Miao and Indonesia were both baffled by the Kimono Girl's interest to go to Sprout Tower with them. The capturer didn't want to be rude and refuse the offer, but she felt forced into it since the Kimono Girl didn't want to return the egg. Li Miao also felt threatened that she didn't hold possession of the item, mostly due to who was holding it. It was the Kimono Girl, who Li Miao had learnt was named Zuki. Upon walking together, Li Miao also realized Zuki was one year younger than her, but while Li Miao was merely clumsy, Zuki was just plain reckless. Li Miao was nervous Zuki would drop the egg and break it.

She had to at least admit she felt more comfortable around Zuki though. The man in the red bow was a bit strange. His name was Eusine and remained quiet of his title. He said he was _just_ an escort, but his flamboyant purple suit screamed for attention.

While Indonesia found the situation just as bizarre, he was more intrigued by the fellow Umbreon that refuse to walk in the daylight. It was a sneaky Dark-Type that continued to find his way through the shade. The Grass-Type Pokémon thought it was a game at first and played along, but quickly realized it required much more skill and stamina that Indonesia lacked. So instead, he decided to observe.

"Welcome to the Sprout Tower," A young sage greeted the group of three and their accompanied Pokémon. They had just finished crossing the required bridge to reach the pagoda, as the sage got up to formally bow to them. Sprout Tower's exterior was incomparable, starting with the large, reflective pond that nested in front of the tower. A series of modernized bridges passed over the shallow water source, that led to the phenomenal wooden pagoda; which was believed to have already been standing when Ho-oh still lived alongside people. The young man lowered his bow upon recognizing the symbolic dress of Ecruteak's famous theater, "Welcome, Miss Zuki,"

The Kimono Girl returned a smile, pleased to be recognized, "Morning, Sage Nico, I have brought Elder Li the girl,"

The girl? Li Miao's instinct automatically knew something was suspicious. Zuki's words sounded too strange. She wondered if this all had something to do with the egg, as it seemed to be the most obvious answer. Zuki still hadn't returned the egg to Li Miao, and Mr. Pokémon's vital explanation this morning proved the egg had some importance. It was to the point where she advised to treat the egg as if it was the most valuable object in the universe. If _it was_, she was currently doing a horrendous job protecting it.

"Oh my, I see," Sage Nico walked straight up to the wary curly-haired female. He made her jump as he reached down and placed a firm grip on her wrist. He began to move, even before stating, "Please, follow me,"

Li Miao had no choice but to stumble behind the sage. Indonesia scurried behind, making sure he went wherever his trainer did. Sprout Tower was indeed set up for a challenge. There were no panels or incased artifacts that would be found in a museum. Instead, the tower was dotted with young sages prepared for incoming challengers. Each were strategically placed around the tower, eager for a battle. At first, each shot up to the sound of footsteps, but stopped themselves seeing their fellow member jolting through the pagoda. They all knew what was going on and stared at Li Miao in awe. In return, the capturer found herself feeling very uncomfortable, wishing she hadn't been so curious about the tower. She just wanted her egg back.

After climbing three stories, Li Miao and the others reached the top of the pagoda. The young sage finally realized his grip and walked ahead to alert an older man sitting quietly on a cushion. He was easily the oldest person in the tower, as well as the most important. His clothes were different from the dull, gray garments the other sages wore. Instead, his robe was purple and draped with an additional mustard-colored sash embellished with a geometry design.

Regardless of his age or position, the elder gave a delicate smile and pushed himself up from the cushion, "You have come at last,"

"Yes we have!" Zuki chirped, passing Li Miao to stand in front of the elder. She curtseyed and whipped out a fan as she came back up, flapping it delicately like a Butterfree's wing. Just as Kuni had taught her.

The elder seemed oblivious to Zuki's attempts at being a proper Kimono Girl, eyeing the object that Zuki had quickly tossed to Eusine, "But it seems that you have yet to hatch the egg,"

It registered to Eusine that the Elder Sage of Sprout Tower was also in the group of privileged people. He looked down at the egg, realizing what was in his hands was a critical piece to re-summoning Ho-oh. Li Miao realized that her instinct was right, the egg had some strange importance. She was oblivious to why Mr. Pokémon would be willing to give it to her though.

Zuki went to Eusine to grab the egg, then returned to the elder to show it to him up close, "But it's on its way!"

The elder placed a single hand on the egg, as if to feel movements from inside it. After a moment of silence, he nodded his head in approval. His face lit up with a mixture of curiosity and excitement. He lead his eyes to Li Miao, motioning for her to step forward. She listened to his request and crept up, Indonesia still following his trainer with every step. The elder took note of this and gave another nod, reaching into his sash to pull out a Pokéball. He bowed the best his old frame would allow and stated, "I am Elder Li, allow me to check your ties with your Pokémon and see your heart for myself,"

Ties? Her heart? What was going on? Li Miao was perplexed, but she was certain about one thing: She did not like Pokémon battles and definitely wasn't about to get involved in one now. "No thank you, I can't do that!" She waved her hands frantically in front of her to symbolize her disinterest, "I don't battle against other trainers—"

"Chikor!" the little Leaf Pokémon jumped in front of his trainer before she could back away. He had a smirk, showing his interest to battle.

Li Miao whipped her head down to Indonesia in shock, she must have misheard him, "You _want_ to battle?"

"Chika! _Chikori!_" The Grass-Type Pokémon responded, showing everyone that he was confident in his decision. Li Miao was already oblivious to the current situation, and now her Pokémon was showing a side of him she wasn't familiar with. Was she dreaming? She felt a tingle shiver up her spine, realizing her Pokémon was taking charge for her. He let out another call, making Elder Li's smile grow.

He was quite impressed with the Leaf Pokémon's behavior. He was also a firm believer that Pokémon were extensions of their trainer's feelings. Due of his beliefs, he predicted Li Miao had suppressed her interest of battling out of fear. That lack of confidence shown through her Chikorita's physical appearance. While he was a cute Pokémon by nature, it was clearly obvious that Indonesia bore a low amount of battle experience. There was not a single chance the Pokémon could beat the entirety of Elder Li's team.

It was true though, after her first chilling battle against Caelum, Li Miao believed battling wasn't for her. But with seeing Indonesia so confident and determined, she was somehow given enough influence to give the sport another chance, "Okay, Indonesia, _just_ for you,"

Elder Li was pleased. Zuki and Eusine were both surprised by Li Miao's change of heart. The elder gave another nod, releasing his prized HootHoot. Since Indonesia would already have a tough time, Elder Li decided to allow his Bellsprout to sit this battle out. It would be a One vs. One battle. HootHoot cried out upon being released from his Pokéball, landing in front of his trainer. The elder welcomed his Owl Pokémon, then looked to Li Miao, "Present to me what you and your Pokémon are capable of,"

Depending on who the challenger was, they could interpret the message differently. While Sprout Tower did offer a challenge, victories weren't received through power alone. Yes, trainers who could defeat Elder Li _did_ receive an award, but one could be a winner without actually winning. Due to misconceptions, the true reward of Sprout Tower was hidden. The challenge was originally made to test the bonds between trainers and their Pokémon. Elder Li wasn't looking at the attacks, he was focused on the compatibility. Even though HootHoot was more experienced and had a type-advantage against Indonesia, the Leaf Pokémon could still win. _He and Li Miao just needed to prove themselves_.

"Okay, Indonesia, use Razor Leaf!"

The Leaf Pokémon happily obeyed orders and swung his huge leaf, sending several smaller ones hurling towards HootHoot. Without guidance, the Flying-Type Pokémon flew up to avoid the attack, missing the majority of the leaves. While few still managed to hit him, they did little damage. Elder Li responded to the attack, "HootHoot, use Peck!"

The bird did as instructed and flew towards Indonesia, stabbing him harshly with his beak. With a combination of little experience and poor defense against Flying-Types, the Leaf Pokémon took too much damage. He was able to recover, but his lack of energy showed.

"Are you okay?" Li Miao asked, worried about her Pokémon. He responded with an reassuring call. For Indonesia's sake, the capturer tried hard to focus and stay hopefully. She didn't want to lose the battle for Indonesia, so she kept trying to pretend HootHoot was a wild Pokémon and not one listening to another human. If she _were_ battling a wild HootHoot, there was no way a Pokéball would capture it right now. She needed to continue to lower its health, "Okay, another Razor Leaf then!"

"Doesn't she know Grass-Types are weak to Flying-Types?" Eusine mumbled and Zuki hushed him as if he were yelling. Eusine was starting to doubt himself for thinking Li Miao was the one. He felt guilty for going against Suicune, but Li Miao and her Pokémon weren't strong at all. More leaves hit HootHoot this time, but they still left little damage. HootHoot had landed another Peck and it was a miracle Indonesia was still standing. He refused to give up though, especially as his trainer had finally accepted a fight. Indonesia hadn't battled since he was matched again Caelum's Cyndaquil, and the Grass-Type Pokémon loved being able to work together with his trainer like this. It was entirely different experience from catching a wild Pokémon. There, they had to be careful and strategize their attacks. Here strategy was needed, but Indonesia could put his heart into each attack. He didn't have to worry about a Pokémon fainting, he could show his trainer how strong he really was!

Li Miao didn't want to see Indonesia push himself too much though, but she was extremely impressed by how well Indonesia endured another attack. She was even more surprised with how he was still willing to get back up, "You're doing amazing Indonesia!" She let out unconsciously.

That tiny comment was enough to move the elder. While he had already noticed the bond in front of him, he was searching for that extra connection. This was it though, he knew his opponent held a good heart. He raised his hand, "HootHoot, use Hypnosis,"

The bird listened and let out a wavelength that instantly brought Indonesia to sleep. The Leaf Pokémon fell to his side and took heavy breaths, he was sent to his dreams.

"Indonesia?" Li Miao called. There was no response. She got worried, "Indonesia? Indonesia, wake up."

The Pokémon didn't get up. He remained on the ground, sleeping soundly. The young sage from earlier checked the Pokémon's condition, before raising his hand towards Elder Li, "Chikorita is unable to battle, Elder Li wins,"

Li Miao slid to her Pokémon and picked him up, "Is he okay? What did Hypnosis do to him?"

Zuki came up to the capturer and sprayed a bottled chemical on the Chikorita. Immediately waking him up, "Don't worry, it just put him to sleep,"

Li Miao hugged Indonesia in relief. Elder Li made his way towards the female. He once again smiled to her, this time grander than the previous times. He then gave another bow, showing his deepest respect, "Li Miao, you must take the challenge of the eight leaders,"

The challenge of eight leaders? It took a moment, but Li Miao realized the elder was referring to the gym leaders. She jumped, shaking her head, "I can't do that, we just lost!"

"Battle the leaders for Indonesia then!" Zuki suggested, a wide grin on her face. While it was oblivious to Li Miao, Zuki knew Kuni would be _so_ pleased to hear what was going on. The youngest Kimono Sister needed to ensure the capturer accepted the challenge, so she pushed on Li Miao's weak points, "Didn't you see how _hard_ your Chikorita tried for you? Let him have a chance to grow stronger!"

"Yes, do it for the Pokémon you care so much for. You might not have the strength now, but you have the potential," Elder Li explained. The word 'potential' rang in Li Miao's ears again. Apparently she had a lot of it. Where it came from, she had no idea. The elder continued speaking, "With hard work and determination, you can easily beat me or anyone else you wish in the future. The connection you have with your Pokémon is a rare one. It is easy for a trainer to love their Pokémon, but it is difficult to gain such a strong friendship so fast. Your Chikorita believes in you and fights for you, trying to show you you are stronger than you think. You believe in your Chikorita too, which gives his strength, but you do not believe in yourself. This is what cripples you."

Li Miao listened, acknowledging his words. He was right, she didn't believe in herself. At least, not when it came to battling. She could be confident, but only with the things she was good at, like catching Pokémon. Still, she was against battling, but after hearing what Elder Li and Zuki said… She didn't want to let Indonesia down. Seeing her Leaf Pokémon do the best he could was an incredible experience, he never acted like that when catching Pokémon. Maybe battling _was_ worth it.

"Li Miao, please, you _must_ take the challenge and collect the eight badges," Zuki squatted next to Li Miao, holding her hands together to beg. Suddenly she got an idea, and let out a giggle, "I have an idea! If you challenge the Gym Leaders, your Pokémon will gain more experience and you'll be battle to capture even stronger Pokémon." She then let out a mischievous smirk, "_Who knows_, maybe one day you'll be strong enough to catch_ a legendary_!"

"What?!" Li Miao jumped up, Zuki's comment sounded unbelievable, "That's impossible!" The room feel silent to Li Miao's lack of confidence. She noticed it quickly, realizing her perspective was poor. She gave Indonesia another squeeze, seeking his warmth for encouragement, "Okay, _maybe_, but first I want my egg back,"

"Great!" Zuki exclaimed, "But _before_ we do that, the first leader is here in Violet City! I'll take you to his gym now!"

* * *

**Pokédex Entries: 007/256**

**Li Miao's Team:**

1. Indonesia, Chikorita

2. Unidentified Egg

**Caelum's Team:** Unknown

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Woo! The Kimono Girls and Li Miao finally cross paths! Well, only Zuki for now, but it's a start! We also get some more action this chapter, even though Li Miao and Indonesia lost instantly. Indonesia is currently extremely under leveled because he's really only been in one battle. Now that Li Miao has decided to challenge the Gym Leaders though, hopefully Indonesia will get stronger! Anyway, this actually marks the start of more adventurous chapters. These beginnings ones have _had_ action, but really focused on the plot. The next chapters are plot-related of course but since Li Miao will now be battling, we'll be seeing more of that! Time to get my creative-battling cap on!

Anyway, next chapter Li Miao is making her way to Violet City's Gym! She'll meet a special someone at the gym, who is not Falkner. Oh no, no, no, it is someone _else_. Any guesses? :)


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